by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
Stroll down the hallways of the University of North Florida’s new Fine Arts Center and music fills the air. With part of each classroom wall consisting of glass panels, a variety of musical instruments can be spotted. In one room there’s a student practicing the piano, in another, the electric guitar. Despite the advent of the performance space, UNF does not offer a theater degree.
“There is a great opportunity for a theater program, but it’s not something that’s ever been discussed with me,” said Allison Blackstone, coordinator of marketing for the UNF Fine Arts Center. “Right now we’re just trying to get the center up and running. No one knows what to make of the center. I don’t think they realize the value. The general population doesn’t always know what’s here. I would like it to be another jewel in the crown [of the school]. The center is poised to be a tremendous cultural asset to the people on this side of town.”
The vision for the 128,000 square-foot center began years ago with former UNF president Adam Herbert and was continued by his successors. Three years after the center’s groundbreaking, the $22 million facility is finally operational. This fall marks the first full semester for the school’s building. Work remains on the Lazzara Theatre, named for primary financial contributors Gasper and Irene Lazzara.
Before the pie-shaped building came into existence, performances were held at the Robinson Theatre with its vivid orange seats. Built in the 1970s, the old theater will be closed and renovated once the Lazzara Theatre is complete.
“It will be a refreshing of the look,” said Blackstone. “With the extra seating bays opened, there are approximately 700 seats. The size has not changed”
After the dust settles, three theaters of varying sizes, the Lazzara Theatre, the Robinson Theatre and the recital hall, will be used. All three will be available for public rental.
“Hopefully it will become a revenue stream,” she said.
Courses are already being taught in the 180-seat recital hall and “Uilleann Pipes and Irish Traditional Music,” the first performance held at the center, took place Monday. No events are scheduled for the large theater until its inaugural season in January. The season was shortened because the center was finished mid-semester. The proscenium theater boasts 1,400 seats and state-of-the-art lighting and sound.
Performances will not be relegated to different spaces because of the their genre, but rather the required capacity.
“There’s not a specific function that is targeted,” said Blackstone. “It will depend on the seating needs. Also, there is a different range of cost due to the size [of the venue]. We’ve been booking space for anything you can think of — poetry readings, concerts.”
Sharing resources is part of being a member of an academic community. The multi-use Fine Arts Center is not reserved for just art instruction and performance.
“The challenge is to communicate with the other bodies on campus,” said Blackstone. “We have to be accommodating to meet the students needs.”
A UNF graduate, Blackstone’s background includes training in graphic design and advertising. Executive Director Sharon Papian decides the programming for the center. Their goal is to collaborate with other organizations to reach a broader, more diverse audience.
“We’re always conscious of the arts community as a whole, presenting a united front,” said Blackstone. “Because our theater is small and we’re getting started, there are cost issues. I’ve always been firmly entrenched in the arts scene so I have a network of people to partner with to get things accomplished.”